Wire rope



Jan; 21", y1936.

w. D. HoDsoN4 2,028,157

WIRE HPE Filed sept. 17, 1934 wire' Zmrzds `interstices in thev rope when the strands are` later wound together about a core. The oils pre- Patented Jan. 121, 192.6` f

VlgJNiTip STAT-,Es

PATl-:NT- oFFicE i N Claims.

practice to lubricate wire ropes by owing lubricant from aheated kettle onto Athe wires at the end of the stranding machine, just( before the wires pass into the` closing die. Inasrnuch `as the stranding machines rotate the wires at high speeds, for example, as high as 500-1000 R. P. M., it has been necessary, in order to have fthe oil pass onto all of the wires, to use a very thin oil. Y" l 'I'he result is that only a thin film of oil can 20 be retained upon the'wires, which'aflords no adequate lasting protection for the rope. Likewise, there is insuicient oil present to fill the 25 viously used have likewise necessarily been of `such character that under climaticchanges and operating conditions the lubricant is very rapidly 4 dissipated. l

'I'he single gure of the accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic illustration of awire rope embodying my invention. 4 f

v` In accordance with the present invention, the wires, before closing of the strands, are passed through a plastic jelly-like adhesive mass of `rings of lubricant attach themselves to the wires, and as `the wires close together in lthe die the lubricant isforced into the `voids and interstices of the-strands. Moreoverjgdue to the gummy tenacious character of the lubricant, there issufiicient iexcess so that upon winding of the strands into rope, the voidsand interstices ofthe rope are likewise filled with'thelubricant. Thereis also little or no running out of the lubricant under'hightemperatures occasioned by climatic changes or operating conditions.. 'I'he preferred lubricant comprises a nbrous absorbent .",base or filler suchy as r nelydivided ground asbestos. The base orgitselffmay act as a lubri- `cant, and `also prevents .metal-to-metal contactl Y of the wires, .besidesY holding aV much larger amount of lubricant. Other absorbent brous part .of

diiliculties. It has heretofore been the general lubricant, preferably cold. As a result, thick,l

materials such as jute, cotton linters, cotton hull v(Cl. 1117-53) term grease" is `herein used to cover not only technicall greases but oils having the characteristics of greases, in that they will produce a thick,

heavy, tenaciousmass of lubricant.' The character of the grease will depend-upon the use to which the wire rope is to be put. For example,

. where high temperatures are likely, a more viscous grease or oil may be used. For heavier duty, a suitable heavy duty lubricant is preferably employed. V

A preferred grease may be prepared from `a viscous mineral oil, an aluminum soap, and an asphaltic or blown oil. For example, a grease may be prepared from 39 parts of a heavy naphthalene oil of 190-210 viscosity at 210 E., 1 part of aluminum oleate, and 50 parts of a blown oil having approximately 100 melt point and a penetration in the order of 200 at '77 F.

In place of the aluminum oleate, other aluminum soaps 'such as the tungate, linoleate, orthe corresponding soaps of zinc, lead, sodium, calcium, or the like may be employed.

' Ordinarily the type of air-blown oil or residuum of the character generally known as saturation is employed. However, other blown oils having `melting points as high as 0 F. or higher, or iluid saturations may be used, depending upon the particular characteristics compound desired. l

The fibrous' base is incorporated in the lubricant in proportions depending ,upon the absorbing qualities o'f the base. lAfwell ground goed quality asbestos may be usedin the proportion `of 10/ parts asbestos to 90 parts lubricating compound. ,A standard raw type of asbestos bre as received frcgm the mines, ground and treated, can

c rbe madev in varying degrees of flneness tocmeetV diierentbperatmg conditions.A For elevator or of the lubricating cable ropes requiring great flexibility, and a high a tougher and coarser fibre is preferable. Likewise, -for such purposes a larger proportion of the j bre and` the blownoil should be used. Y In Athe case of elevator or cable ropes, it has likewise been found that in prior practice the action of thelubrica'nt on the sheaves and drums with which they contact is unsatisfactory,'par ticularly in causing slippage. Y

It has been discoveredthat this diiiiculty may be overcome by incorporating in the lubricant a small proportion of a top drier, which dries .on the surface of the lubricant only, upon, exposure to the air; for example, one to three per cent.`

rof a cobalt or lead drying composition may be izo I v II III IV Mineral oil.` 38. 3125 f 36. 25 44. 50 28 C oarse asbestos 9. 5525 11. 25 4. 50 18 Fine asbestosw.. 1. 0625 1. 25 50 2 Aluminum cleat 1. 0625 1. 25' 50 2 Blown oil 50 50 50 50 The foregoingdetailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no `unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible; in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A wire rope comprising a plurality of strands of wire wound about a central core, and having within and about said strands a viscous plastic adhesive lubricating compound including a top drier, said compound substantially filling the interstices of the strands, and the proportion of top drier in said lubricating compound being such as to produce a. tough leathery surface on ex posureof the lubricant to air,y without affecting the plastic character of the body of the lubricant.

2. A wire rope comprising a plurality of strands 5 of wire wound about a central core, and having within and about said strands a viscous plastic adhesive lubricating compound substantially lling thev interstices of the strands; said lubricating compound comprising an absorbent fibrous base, 10 a grease, and a small proportion of a top drier, in proportions to produce a permanently plastic lubricant having a tough leathery surface on exposure to air.

3. A wire rope as set forth in claim 2 in which 15 the lubricating compound includes a viscous grease. y

4. 'A wireA rope comprising a plurality'of strands of wire wound about a central core, and having within and about and substantially filling the 20 interstices of said strands a viscous, plastic-adhesive lubricating compound comprising an absorbent brous base, and a grease comprising a' viscous mineral oil, a gelling soap, a blown oil, and a. top drier in proportions to produce on ex- 25 posure to air a permanently plastic lubricant having a tough, leathery surface. A

5. A wire rope as set forth in claim 4 in which the -lubricating composition comprises approximately 28 to 441/2 parts of a heavy mineral oil, 1/2 l3o to 2 parts of aluminum 'olea e, 50 parts of blown oil, and 5-20 partsof finely 'vided asbestos, and

` a smallproportionof -a top drier.

WALTER D. HODSON. 

